Heat
by WriterSpud
Summary: (I'm bad at summaries!) Standard new-character...read and review, or I'll send you my plot bunnies!


A/N: Read and review! If I don't get reviews, I won't continue it (well, I probably won't if you review and tell me not too, either!), and I'll send all my plot bunnies over to haunt you forever. Hahahahaha! Anyway. This is another thing that attacked me in the middle of algebra II class. *sigh*. The inspiration always strikes when I should be doing something else. Like now, I'm supposed to be working on a huge history assignment. Oh well. 

Disclaimer: No one you can recognize is mine. The ownership lies somewhere within the depths of Marvel, and (I believe) 20th Century Fox. If you sue, you will get…*counts change in pockets* exactly 62 cents, a random pen cap, and a cough drop. 

"I swear, it's really weird. Like, I told him more than a week ago, and he's still totally cool with it." Lex Sheppard twirled the phone cord between her fingers. "I don't know if he really…gets it yet." 

On the other side of the phone line, and six blocks away, Robbie Coltes was lounging on the floor, in front of the muted TV, holding the cordless phone. "So maybe he actually doesn't care. That's not a bad thing, y'know." 

Lex shrugged. "I know that. But it's just weird. Like, I was almost disappointed. You don't tell your dad you're a mutant and just expect him to say 'I know.' I mean, I was expecting some sort of reaction." 

"How did he know?" 

"I dunno. The only thing I can think of is he saw when it first happened. Or maybe he somehow knew when I was born." 

"And he hasn't said anything about it?" 

"Nope Not a thing." 

"Weird. Oh, crap, I gotta cook dinner. I'll see you tomorrow?" 

Lex groaned. "Ugh. Yeah. Nice and early in first period geometry. I swear, school starts way to early. Anyway…yeah, see ya." Hanging up the phone, Lex glanced out the window to see her dad's car pull in the driveway. So weird. She'd expected him to react somehow…or at least mention it. 

Parents. They made no sense. 

The bell rang. 

The hallway exploded into chaos as students flung themselves out of their desks, through the doorways, and into the halls. Lex and Robbie filed out of the chemistry lab, Lex looking blank. 

"I'm an idiot," she said, stopping at her locker. 

"Relax. No one saw anything." 

Lex snorted. "Right. Robbie, I almost set the room on fire. Not to mention nearly blowing up an entire cabinet of _Pyrex_ beakers. That stuffs supposed to be heat-proof." 

"It's not your fault. That idiot was throwing stuff at you." 

"Robbie, I am the idiot. Some jerk throws a match at me, and I nearly blow up the room? I can see the news report now: 'A very, very localized and brief heat wave occurred yesterday, located solely in a local high school. According to sources, during a sophomore biology lab, the temperature suddenly skyrocketed into the triple digits.' Come on. I just ruined my life." 

"You're such a pessimist." 

"Realist," Lex countered. "Come on. I want to get home so I can dig a hole and die in it." 

Half an hour later, and after twenty-seven minutes of a very repetitive conversation, Lex stood uncomfortably in the doorway of her living room. Along with her dad, there were three other people in the room. The guy in the wheelchair was a perfect picture of the stereotypical college professor. That, or a Mr. Clean ad. Another guy - probably not out of his thirties - was sitting on the couch. Only thing that set him apart from any twenty-something Polo-brand wearing Starbucks customer was the dark red sunglasses he wore. And then there was a girl, about Lex's age, who was the stereotypical teenage girl. Tight T-shirt that read 'Princess' in sparkly letters, tight, flared jeans, and platform sneakers. Her dark hair was up in a ponytail, and everything about her screamed 'teenybopper'. 

"Lex. This is Professor Xavier, Scott Summers, and Kitty Pryde." 

Blinking, Lex wondered what Professor Xavier, Scott Summers, and Kitty Pryde were doing sitting in her living room with her dad at three PM on a Friday afternoon. "Um, hi." Cautiously, she entered the room and dropped into an armchair in the corner. "What's going on?" 

"Professor Xavier runs a school, up in New York, for gifted kids." Her dad stopped, as if that explained anything. 

"Um, okay…" She glanced at her dad. So what were they doing…_oh_. Not gifted kids. It was a school for 'gifted' kids. Gifted, in this case, being pronounced 'mutant'. 

"It's really a normal boarding school," Scott Summers said. "But most importantly, it offers a safe environment. We also do our best to work with you on controlling your powers." 

This wasn't cool at all. She wanted a reaction, she got a reaction from her dad. Ideally, it would have been acceptance and support, not trying to ship her off to some boarding school for freaks… "Um…look. I'm really perfectly fine without needing some school for so-called 'gifted' people." 

"Lex!" her father snapped. 

"I'm sorry. That was rude. It's just…I'm happy here. I don't need lessons on how to control anything. Other than maybe my algebra teacher, but some Ritalin would probably fix that problem. I appreciate the offer, but no thanks." 

Kitty tried to muffle a giggle - Lex assumed about the comment about her teacher - but no one else looked vaguely amused. "No one said that you don't have control," the professor said. "But the Academy can offer what no other school can." 

"What?" 

"Everyone at the academy is a mutant. It's - sadly - one of the few places where you don't have to worry about people disliking or hating you for what you are." 

Lex shrugged. "Only my best friend knows. And I know she won't tell anyone. Problem solved. If no one knows, it can't be a problem. And no one's going to find out, because I have it under control." 

"Currently, yes you do. But often, as a mutant ages, their powers evolve, often times becoming harder to control. In addition, stress and emotions, and heightened hormone levels, can often make it extremely hard to control your powers. Even at the Academy, we've had our share of various mini-disasters. But, for example, if you were to somehow loose control even for a moment, at your current school, it would be a bit hard to keep people from knowing." 

Before Lex could argue, her father spoke. "I think you should go. At least try it. If it doesn't work out, you can always come back next year." 

She scowled and stood up, shaking her head. "No." 

"Lex, sit down," her dad said. 

"Forget it," she growled, and stormed out of the living room, grabbing her bag on her way to her room. 

An awkward silence coated the room for a moment after Lex's departure. Finally, her dad stood. "I'm sorry. Let me go…I'll be right back." 

"No, please, Mr. Sheppard." Professor Xavier spoke quickly. "It's alright. Give her time." 

He stopped. "I'm so sorry. She's very…touchy about this." 

"I understand," the professor said. "It's very hard for most young people to come to terms with being a mutant. And with all due respect, I must urge you not to force her into leaving home." 

Mr. Sheppard almost glared at the trio. "I don't want her hurting anyone. Or getting hurt." 

"I can sympathize with that, Mr. Sheppard." The Professor paused. "Perhaps if Kitty were to try and approach your daughter…being the same age could definitely affect how Lex interprets our offer." 

"Yeah," Mr. Sheppard agreed. "Good idea." 

Lex grimaced as she heard the knock on the door. "Go. Away." 

Another knock. "What?" Lex demanded, as she crossed the room and flung open the door. A somewhat guilty-looking Kitty Pryde jumped back as the door opened. 

"Um…the Professor, like, sent me to talk to you. About, like…the school and stuff." 

Sighing, Lex turned around, and flopped onto her bed. "I'm not going," she mumbled into her pillow. 

Kitty took that as an invitation to come in. "It's really a cool place," she said. 

"I'm not going. If my dad wants me out of the house, fine. But I'm not going to let him be a coward and act like he's concerned about me." 

"He really seemed worried about you," Kitty said nervously. It was a lie, and they both knew it. 

"Yeah. Whatever." 

Kitty sat down on the desk chair. "Um. I don't wanna, like, sound like an idiot or anything, but…like, it's really…being a mutant isn't all bad. And, like…a lot of people think it is. They don't, like, say it to your face, but…"

Lex sighed. "My dad's like that, isn't he." 

"I think she can be a danger to society." 

Mr. Sheppard's comment stopped the conversation dead in its tracks. Scott, for what had to be the third time today, was thankful that this girl's father couldn't see the way he was glaring. The Professor politely folded his hands on his lap. "Why do you say that?" 

Mr. Sheppard glared at the two men. "I think that without…training, and supervision, all mutants can be dangerous, Professor. It's a fact. Even ones who try to hide their mutations." The last sentence was coupled with a direct glare at Scott.

Stiffening visibly, Scott was half-tempted to take his glasses off, and show this guy what he was 'hiding'. The Professor glanced at him, as if to remind Scott that this was not the time to loose his temper. 

"Mr. Sheppard," the Professor began, but was interrupted. 

"I still don't know what you can do, Mr. Summers," Lex's father snapped. "The other two little demos were most interesting. But are you to embarrassed to show your 'powers'?" 

Scott took a deep breath. He was not going to let the father of a prosepective student get to him. Especially not a student who had to get away from her father. "It's not exactly a…indoor power," he said, trying to keep his voice even without sounding to strained. "I can shoot optic blasts. Similar to a laser, but without the heat. I was in an accident when I was a child, and can't control them because of that. That's why I need these." He gestured to the sunglasses. "I'd have offered a demonstration, but I assumed you wanted to keep your walls intact." 

Mr. Sheppard didn't say anything, nor did he soften his glare. No one said anything for a long moment - until Kitty and Lex entered the room again. Lex had her arms folded across her chest, and didn't look any happier than her father. 

"I'll go." 

* * *


End file.
